14 DAY TRIAL // Ever since it announced Windows 10 for the first time last year in late September, Microsoft said that its new operating system would be the foundation of an increased focus on the IoT, and now that we’re getting closer to its launch, the company can finally share more info about its plans.
At Computex 2015, Nick Parker, corporate vice president OEM Division, announced a new partnership between Microsoft and Toshiba that would lead to the creation of several IoT solutions powered by Windows and Azure, including a new product that would be aimed at the transportation and logistics industry.
Parker explained that Microsoft’s new solution would offer everything to this side of the industry, including devices and services, such as “an onboard video recorder that can track vehicle data and analyze driver behavior.”
More innovative components
But at the same time, Parker also talked about some more innovative products, among which a ruggedized environmental device that collects data from 12 sensors, a military-grade case, and the number one star of the show - a battery that can last for six months in continuous operation.
The battery is part of the whole system, Parker said without providing other details, adding that Azure infrastructure would be at the core of everything when it comes to this transportation and logistics offering.
Needless to say, there’s no doubt that there’s a huge potential for the Internet of Things, and Microsoft proves that together with its partners it can develop very advanced solutions, but this new world is still in its early days, and more time is needed until we get our hands on such products.
This battery, for instance, despite being integrated into a system used for transportation and logistics, can be then adopted for a number of other solutions, which can be further employed in other industry sectors and connected to the surrounding world.
For instance, Parker also demonstrated a new home automation system called Crestron Pyng, which connects everything in your house, including audio systems door locks, security systems, thermostats, and lights, and uses Azure to offer users full control and make life easier. Batteries such as the ones mentioned above could again be used, so it's pretty clear that investments in this area could really pay off in the long term.
All of these would soon be available for the masses, Microsoft says, and will help everyone save time and money because of the connected world we’ll all be living in.